GOTM131 Iroquois - Final Spoiler - Game submitted or abandoned

mad-bax

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GOTM131 Iroquois - Final Spoiler - Game submitted or abandoned

Hi all.

Usual drill. No reading below this post or posting unless you have completed or abandoned your game.

So how did this game go?
 
This is the situation at the dawn of Middle Ages: it's 710 BC, Japan is already gone and India is being assimilated. After the freebie pick, there's no point in keeping Greece alive anymore so i start a second front against them. Meanwhile, having lost the Great Lighthouse, i'm spending heavily on research and using part of my resources to build libraries, with the goal of reaching Astronomy as soon as possible.

India is gone in 490 BC and Greece follows suit three turns after. A good deal of elite units have been created, but no leader has emerged so far. In the meantime, Paris has completed the Pyramids. Excellent news, since Paris is my planned future capital.

Being still around 20 turns away from Astronomy, i decide to not have my troops getting lazy and invade Rome anyway with suicide galleys. After a few turns of preparation the fleet sails. During the capture of Rome, in 270 BC, the first leader finally comes and it is used to rush Sun Tzu in Rome. The weak Roman nation is out of the game by 170 BC. Meanwhile, Salamanca has completed the first Iroquois university and is now building Sistine as a prebuild for the Forbidden Palace.

In 130 BC Astronomy is known, a harbor is rushed in Rome and i can finally benefit of a few more luxuries.

Next target is France. Paris is heavily defended but my numbers are simply too big. In 10 BC i finally get the 2nd leader, just in time to not lose shields on the FP prebuild, and next turn Paris becomes the new Iroquois capital, around a RCP 5 ring, while Salamanca becomes the FP city. The sudden outcome boost is significant, by all means a second Golden Age. France is gone by 30 AD.

Now it's Germany's turn. Firstly, i donate them a small city on the northern Greek coast, then i proceed to take over their whole mainland. In 230 AD, when all it's left of Germany is that small town i donated them earlier, i sign peace and let them live for a while longer as OCC. The pattern repeats itself later with Russia (OCC in 460 AD) and Persia (OCC in 540 AD). At this point i'm well into the Industrials and fairly near the domination limit, so i'm basically done with conquest. It could have been faster but i've spent a fair deal of shields into libraries, markets, universities and a pair of wonders in an effort to not lose ground on the scientific run.

On the research front, after Astronomy i went for Navigation and Banking at a slower pace. After going for Monarchy and Chivalry, the AS researched Invention and Gunpowder. At that point, i went for Chemistry (immediately donated), Physics (immediately donated), Gravity and Magnetism. Korea was so kind to research Metallurgy for me so i could hit the Industrials in 400 AD. I could buy Steam and Medicine, and, later on, Nationalism, which i donated to everyone except for the OCCs in the hope of speeding up the path to Replaceable Parts (success) and have the AS research a second Industrial tech (fail).

The scarcity of leaders persisted through the whole game. Copernicus, Magellan and Evolution were all built by hand. The 3rd leader was spent into Newton's and the 4th and final one was kept spare until Electronics and then used for the Hoover Dam.

A few turns before the end of the IA, Babylon decided to surprise-attack me with a frightening force of one musketman and one bowman. Consider that not only i had IA defenders, but i was also donating Babylon several luxuries. Moreover, i tried to dissuade them by defending the target city (size 12) with infantry and artillery, but none of that worked. The bowman attacked anyway, and even if it was torn into pieces i had to enter the Modern Ages with one scientific AS less to count on. Even so, i managed to snag 3 of the 4 first-tier techs, the missing one being Rocketry. I took over all the three OCCs (useless at this point) then, with prebuilds already in place, i went for Miniaturization right away and after building both Seti and the Internet i could easily afford 4-turns research for the rest of the MA.

In the final turns of the game the Ottomans, completely useless since the AA, researched Sanitation, useful to milk the game a little bit more by building a few hospitals and creating some Metros. Then, it was England's turn to try a sneak-attack with a somewhat less laughable force of cavalry and infantry units, plus ironclads to harass my coast, so i could have a little extra fun with destroyers, bombers and radar artilleries before the spaceship was complete.

The final result is a Spaceship victory in 1260 AD, with 7673 Firaxis and 11692 Jasons. I ended the game 90 tiles below the Dom limit and with a population way above the threshold and kept 99% happy since ages, a factor that probably was the key to a final score higher than expected.


Here's the complete tech log:

4000bc: Ceremonial Burial, Pottery (prerequisites)
3900bc: Warrior Code (hut)
3750bc: Alphabet (trade, India)
2900bc: Bronze Working (hut)
2430bc: Writing (research); Mysticism (hut);
2070bc: Iron Working (trade, India);
1725bc: Map Making (research);
1600bc: Wheel (trade, Japan); Masonry (trade, India);
1475bc: Code of Laws (research);
1350bc: Philosophy (research);
1075bc: Mathematics (trade, Ottomans)
1025bc: Literature (trade, Greece)
_925bc: Horseback Riding (trade, Ottomans);
_900bc: Republic (research);
_710bc: Construction (research); Currency, Polytheism (trade, Persia);

_710bc: Engineering (trade, Persia); Monotheism (trade, Babylon); Feudalism (trade, Korea);
_510bc: Theology (research);
_330bc: Education (research);
_270bc: Monarchy, Chivalry (trade, England)
_130bc: Astronomy (research);
__10bc: Invention (trade, Korea);
_110ad: Navigation (research);
_210ad: Banking (research);
_230ad: Gunpowder (trade, Korea);
_280ad: Chemistry (research);
_320ad: Physics (research);
_360ad: Theory of Gravity (research);
_400ad: Magnetism (research); Metallurgy (trade, Korea);

_400ad: Steam Power (trade, Babylon); Medicine (trade, Korea);
_460ad: Electricity (research); Nationalism (trade, Russia);
_480ad: Economics (trade, Babylon);
_500ad: Industrialization (research);
_540ad: The Corporation (research);
_580ad: Scientific Method (research);
_620ad: Steel (research); Refining, Combustion (ToE); Music Theory (trade, Germany)
_630ad: Replaceable Parts (trade, Korea);
_680ad: Atomic Theory (research);
_720ad: Electronics (research);
_770ad: Radio (research); Military Tradition, Communism (trade, Korea);
_810ad: Mass Production (research);
_850ad: Motorized Transportation (research);
_890ad: Flight (research);

_890ad: Ecology (trade, Korea); Computers (trade, Russia); Fission (trade, Germany);
_950ad: Miniaturization (research);
_990ad: Rocketry (research);
1020ad: Espionage (trade, Babylon);
1030ad: Space Flight (research);
1070ad: Satellites (research);
1090ad: Amphibious War (trade, England);
1110ad: Superconductors (research);
1150ad: Nuclear Power (research);
1170ad: Sanitation (trade, Ottomans);
1190ad: Laser (research);
1230ad: Robotics (research);
1260ad: Synthetic Fibers (research);
 
Wow, 11.5K for a space ship, we don't see that very often! :hatsoff:

I remember a couple of years back we had a(nother) discussion about the Jason system favoring Conquest/Domination too much and agreed that it's very hard to win a gold medal with a non-Con/Dom victory condition. The ones that I still remember are a space victory by Klarius, an amazing 20K game by ignas that won gold with a 12K score and a 100K game by Drazek.

This one has good chances to become another one! :goodjob: (And even, if this were not a "spaceship-only" competition... :D)
 
So I stalled out with my first war with the Greeks and did not generate any leaders. Eventually I eliminated them, then boated down to England and wiped them out. After France declared war, I was able to generate a leader and build my Forbidden Palace in the former English lands south of London, with a good ring. Airports made transport faster than I could do with boats. Korea was my trading partner as I managed to get to 5 turn research in the modern age. Eliminated Persia, Russia and Germany late game with everyone dog-piling the Ottomans. Launched in 1836 before anyone else had finished Spaceflight.
 
Ended up launching in 1500AD, left way in the dust as I imagined. In my log I figured a 1200AD or so paunch was doable and I was proved correct....nicely played!

Game Log:

Spoiler :
10AD

Theology comes in, set to Education due in 6 at 80%, however GA is finished. Overall, I can't complain about the progress made in 20 turns.

70AD

Indians are finally destroyed. No leader luck so I will lan on building the FP from scratch in old Indian land unless a leader pops before then in the next war. Speaking of which, troops have begun to amass in an unclaimed tile on the Japan/Greece island.

150AD

Education finishes, switch several prebuilds over to Universities. Invention due in 9 turns at 60%.

290AD

Invention is in, start on Gunpowder, due in 9 at 60%.

340AD

France destroys the Romans.

350AD

Declare war on Japanese. Even though I no longer have plans for a FP here, I want to grab some more land that will fall in ring 3 and 4. Also, there are luxuries to be had. 1st turn sees us mopping up a lot of stray units and positioning for the strike on Kyoto, which is defended by a warrior....

360AD

Gunpowder comes in, set to Banking at 60% due in 8. Still painfully slow. Need those extra luxes to up the slider without going bankrupt.

Kyoto, being defended by only warriors, archers, and horsemen, falls easily and is burned to be replaced.

370AD

Mop up more Japanese units. Still no leader luck.

430AD

Banking comes in, switch to Astronomy due in 9 at 50%.

440AD

After clearing out a Japanese city, manage to connect their incense to my civ. I also sell around gunpowder to Germany, France, and Korea and net some nice gpt. Now I am able to up research to 80%, Astro now due in 5.

490AD

Astro comes in, set research to Chemistry at 80%, due in 6.

Declare war on Greece and finally get a leader! Decide to send him back home to finish off the FP I have been working on. Not ideal, but it will make most of the home land mass productive and will save me 30 turns v hand building it.

500AD

Sell Banking to Korea for two more lux resources, turn off lux rate completely and boost research to 90%, shaving a turn off Chemistry. Attack Sparta, burning it to the ground.

520AD

Raze Argos

530AD

Finally complete the FP in former Indian lands thanks to the leader. Now once that half of the empire gets the improvements it needs we should be able to clip along nicely.

540AD

Chemistry completes, start Metallargy at 100%, due in 4 turns.

580AD

Metallurgy done, start Physics at 90%, due in 4.

600AD

Finally finish off the Japanese.

620AD

Physics finishes, start Magnetism, due in 4 at 90%.

650AD

Knossos razed.

660AD

Magnetism finishes, switch to ToG at 90% due in 4.

COmplete Copernicus in St. Regis, start a meager prebuild for Newton's.

700AD

We enter the IA with the completion of ToG. I capture Athens and make peace with Greece since I will be wanting to wheel and deal with them.

I gift all the scientific friends into the IA and they again grab all the techs I want. I also get all the luxury deals renewed and pick up some solid gpt from Korea. I trade Printing Press, 790g, and 73gpt to Russia for Steam Power. I then trade Steam and Printing Press to Babylon for Medicine. I set research to Industrialization, due in 6 at 90%.

740AD

Wonder cascade means that Persians end up with Newton's. Unfortunate.

760AD

Industrialization comes in. Start on Corporation due in 5 at 90%. Switch a lot of builds over to factories. Also finally get our loan source of coal hooked up and start railroading.

810AD

Corporation is finished, start on Electricity, due in 6 at 90%.

860AD

Ottomans land a lone MDI next to one of my cities. Unfortunately I cannot give them an ultimatum to leave, so I have to declare on them to be able to attack the unit and avoid losing a city. Fools.

870AD

Electricity comes in, set to Scientific Method, due in 4 at 90%.

910AD

Scientific Method comes in, start on Replaceable Parts, due in 5 at 100%.

960AD

Replaceable Parts comes in, start on Steel, due in 5 at 90%. Also make peace with Ottomans and get 1g.

1010AD

Steel comes in, set to Refining, due in 5 at 100%. Moronic Germans sneak attack me, so I get war happiness.

1060AD

Refining comes in, set to Combustion, due in 5 at 100%.

1110AD

Combustion comes in, set to Mass Production, due in 4 at 100%.

1150AD

Mass Production comes in, set to Flight, due in 5 at 100%.

1200AD

Flight finished, set to Atomic Theory, due in 5 at 100%.

1250AD

AT comes in, start on Electronics due in 5 at 90%. Also start a ToE build to use on some of the expensive Modern techs.

1275AD

Electronics comes in, start Motorized Transportation, due in 4 at 80%. Switch my palace prebuild over to Hoover's.

1280AD

Hoover's completes.

1295AD

MT comes in, start on Radio at 90%, due in 5 turns. Just could not quite get those expensive techs down to 4.

1320AD

Radio comes in and we finally go Modern. Trade all the scientific friends up to parity and get lucky in that they snare all the first tier techs! I manage to grab them all and then trade those techs around to regain the GPT I had to shell out to get the first tech. Set research to Space Flight, due in 7 turns at 90%. Time my ToE build to coincide with this research time....plan is to take Superconductor and Satellites. Also switch nearly every city to Research Lab builds.

1345AD

Disaster strikes as the Ottomans complete TOE....How they hell they pulled that, I do not know. There should have been no cascades from other wonders. Switch my TOE build to Manhattan Project. Ottomans take Space Flight as one of their techs so my research time drops to 1 turn. Their asking price is ludicrous so I'll just get it next turn.

1350AD

Space Flight comes in, switch my prebuild to Apollo Program and it completes. Switch as many builds to SS parts as possible. Looks like Osman took Satellites so I'll go for Synth Fibers in 5 turns at 100% and trade him for it....so at least I'll still get 1 "free" tech out of it. Still pissed though!

1370AD

SETI and the Docking Bay complete.

1375AD

Synth Fibers comes in, start on Nuclear Power, due in 5 at 100%. Trade Ottomans Synth Fibers for Satellites.

1385AD

SS Storage/Supply completes.

1390AD

Ottomans also finish United Nations in the same city as TOE so I investigate it....sure enough, it has Iron Works and is producing 112 shields per turn...that would explain a lot!

1400AD

Thrusters complete. Nuclear Power comes in, set to Laser due in 5 at 90%.

1405AD

SS Engine completes

1410AD

SS Cockpit completes

1415AD

SS Casing completes

1425AD

Laser completes, set to Minituriazation due in 5 at 100%. Complete SS Party Lounge.

1450AD

Minituriazation comes in, set research to Robotics due in 5 at 100%.


1475AD

Robotics completes, start Superconductor, due in the usual 5 at 90%. Complete the SS Stasis Chamber.

1500AD

Superconductor completes, I switch over a couple ICBM builds to the last two parts, and we finally launch.



While the map and civ were definitely not prime for a fast spaceship, I think a 1200 or so launch should be very feasbile....it will be interesting to see what everyone else comes up with. Fun game!

 
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